What You Mean To Me
by Meffisto
Summary: A series of stories revolving around what Juvia means to Gray and what he means to her. Chapter 8: Everything
1. Comfort

Merry Christmas guys!

This is a series of unrelated stories that examine what Gray means to Juvia and what she means to him. It will mostly be angsty stuff as expected from me. This is my own attempt to create my own Gruvia series and I enjoyed writing this first one. I hope everyone likes it too. :)

 _You are comfort_

* * *

He was afraid.

Ash and smoke filled his vision and stung his eyes. His throat felt sore and dry and no matter how hard he tried, no sound escaped his lips. Gray felt his elbows tremble as they supported his torso. His arms were littered with scratches and wounds, making a gruesome patchwork of his skin. He struggled to move, twisting his body to respond to his will. A stinging jolt of pain invaded his mind, making him cry out loud.

He didn't understand what was happening. One minute they were travelling peacefully and in the next, the world erupted in flames. All he could hear was static, blaring out his eardrums. Gray blinked a few times and managed to roll over onto his back with a grunt. He squinted at the sky and all he could see was gray.

A pained moan caught his attention and he winced as he turned his head towards it. Their client was lying on his stomach, his leg trapped beneath a large boulder. Gray could see the blood slowly seeping out.

Shit.

He had to move.

Their mission had been a simple escort service. They were to accompany an envoy safely back to his town. There were a few warnings about potential threats but Gray never expected to be caught in an ambush or whatever had happened. He and Juvia were more than enough to handle a few bandits.

Upon remembering his intended partner, Gray's eyes shot wide and wildly surveyed the area. He doubled his efforts and managed to stand on his feet. His chest began to constrict with worry and panic when he could not see any sign of Juvia. He choked on her name a few times before managing to call out to her.

He got no response.

Clenching his fists in anger, Gray looked back to their companion. Biting out a curse he staggered towards him. The man appeared to be unconscious as Gray shook him several times. He surveyed the damage done to the man's leg. It was bent at an odd angle and the point of contact between the leg and the boulder looked severely damaged. Gray sucked in a yelp of pain when he bent himself to his knees. He inhaled deeply before attempting to lift the huge debris of the man.

His arms felt like they were on fire. Gray grit his teeth and pushed even harder, egged on by the thought of getting to Juvia faster once he finished recovering their client. A moment of weakness and nausea hit him and Gray lost his grip. He scrambled to get a hold of the boulder before he ended up making the client's injury worse when a flash of blue appeared by his side.

Juvia's capable hands managed to catch the boulder before it hit the man's leg again. She shot him a relieved look. Her face was dirty but he could clearly see the red flush on her cheeks as she struggled with the weight. Gray collected himself and reached out to help her. The two managed to remove the offending object.

They proceeded to carry the man to a near tree in silence, both of them wincing in pain with every other step. After depositing the unconscious man against the tree trunk, Juvia managed to wash out the blood and dirt from the man's leg with her magic. They worked quickly in making a makeshift splint to hold the man's injury. After they did all they could do for their client, they began surveying the scene.

The bombers seemed to have escaped already. There were no signs of disturbance from the forest around them. Gray stood back up from where he was examining a particularly scorched area when he saw Juvia curling into herself and clutching at her stomach. Gray immediately reacted and approached her. He grabbed her hand, moving them to a small clearing near their client's resting place.

He settled her in front of him and wiped the ash off her left cheek with his palm.

" _What's wrong?"_ He demanded. Gray watched her face as she closed her eyes in pain.

" _Juvia's side must've been hit with something. It hurts really bad"_ She mumbled. Gray's eyes went to the pair of small hands clutching her stomach. He gently moved them away to survey the damage. Her clothes were ripped in the area where there was a horrible bruise forming. She must've been thrown by the impact of the explosion and hit something hard. She hissed when he tried to touch it.

Gray cursed softly and looked back up at her face. His thumb wiped off the tear that fell from her eye, smoothing out the skin beneath her eyelashes. She gave a pained smile as she squeezed his free hand with her own.

" _How about Gray-sama?"_ She inquired, gently reaching for his battered arms. He kept himself silent as she examined his wounds, smiling wryly when her forehead creased in concern. Her hands began to liquefy but he stopped her.

" _You take care of yourself first"_ He said in a serious tone. She was about to retort but he cut her off. " _No Juvia, you first. Always"_

He watched her slowly soothe the bruise on her side, applying gentle pressure on it. She bit her lower lip in discomfort when she reached the worst area. Gray propped her up in front of him, allowing her to lean into his bare chest. She seemed to relax a bit with their position.

A minute later when she was done, Juvia quickly took hold of Gray's hands that surrounded her. She took care of his right arms first, slowly washing away the dirt and the blood. Gray grit his teeth at the stinging sensation and distracted himself from the pain by leaning in to settle his forehead on Juvia's shoulder. He rode out the agony by concentrating on Juvia's soft mutters of apology.

Juvia moved on to his other arm. He settled his free appendage across her waist, being careful not to disturb her injured side. He pulled her deeper into him, seeking more of her comfort. His head lifted to bury his nose into her hair.

They stayed like that for several more moments, enjoying the feeling of being wrapped with each other. Gray and Juvia had finally progressed in their relationship. With the help of their friends and a particularly embarrassing confession, Gray finally managed to be honest with himself.

This mission was supposed to be a relaxing time for them. They had planned to finish the mission early and take their time to be together before they returned home. Gray had felt like a hormonal teenager when they first set out, eager to be alone with his girl.

Now that they had incurred injuries and setbacks for their mission, both of them relinquished their hopes of finishing the mission early. They would have to bring their client to a healer quickly and return him home. They were supposed to be looking into it immediately but both of them were not in the best disposition to do so.

Instead, they took a moment for themselves, with Juvia's hands soothingly running through his hair and Gray's battered arms wound tightly around her.

* * *

Good start?

Thank you all! :)


	2. Protection

_You mean protection_

* * *

She didn't know what angered her more. The fact that Gray assumed that she needed protection or the fact that he took it upon himself to be in harm's way just to protect her.

Ever since they became a couple, Gray had made sure to keep her from anything and anyone that could potentially bring her any kind of pain. She was honestly getting sick of it.

Juvia had been very touched in the beginning, thanking him profusely for everything he did for her, blind to the naked fear he had in his eyes. She thought it was like a fairy tail. Gray was her knight-in-shining armor and she would be the damsel in distress. But when it happened over and over to the point where she wouldn't even be able to use her magic, Juvia came to a conclusion. Now she had realized, Gray protected her out of fear. Not out of love.

He was so afraid to lose her that it distracted him from actually being _with_ her.

Then there was her pride. Juvia knew she was strong. She knew she could handle herself. She was not glass. She could turn into freaking water for God's sake! Juvia was tired of seeing and touching fresh scars on him when her skin would be as flawless as the day she was born. She was tired of seeing his back from every single time he would take a hit for her. She was tired of not being able to do anything but scream his name and patch him up after.

This was not how she imagined being his partner. She wanted to share in his pain, not be the cause of it. She wanted to be able to stand beside him, not behind.

So when Gray began ice-making a wall to separate her from the enemy, Juvia snapped.

Acting on her rage, she shot a harmless spray of water towards Gray, knocking him off his feet. She heard his disbelief in the string of curses that flew from his mouth. Juvia was not in the mood to apologize. Turning her attention to the confused enemy, Juvia took advantage of his state of distraction and attacked first.

The man seemed to collect his wits in time to counter attack. Juvia grinned at him, happy that she was finally able to fight after so long of not being able to. It's not that she loved fighting, Juvia just could not deny the thrill and the adrenaline from it. She loved the way she could be one with her element and use it for a good cause.

Gray took that away from her.

Juvia understood his fears, but they were misguided. She knew what it felt like to see the person she loves, hurting. She knew the immediate rush of emotions that came after, the shame, the guilt, the rage. She would protect Gray as fiercely as he protects her if she had to. But she would never deprive him of the right to be his own person and the chance to stand up for himself.

Juvia relied on Gray for many things, but this was not one of them.

* * *

Gray had many strengths but being patient was not one of them. The second Juvia's enemy was disposed off, he exploded on his girlfriend.

" _What the hell do you think you were doing?!"_ He grabbed her by the shoulders, examining her with wild eyes. " _You could have been hurt!"_

" _Isn't that the point of fighting Gray-sama?"_ Juvia said in a deadpanned voice, looking at him as if he were stupid. The worry and anger inside him swelled to uncontrollable degrees.

" _What the fuck are you talking about?"_ He shook her. " _This is not funny Juvia. I was trying to protect you!"_

" _Di Gray-sama even stop to think that Juvia would not need his protection?"_ She sneered. Gray was utterly confused. Juvia was tense in his hold, as if she wanted to get away. She had never done that before. Seeing the way the enemy directed an attack in her direction, he had no time to think. He just acted on his fear of losing her and automatically tried to defend her.

" _That's ridiculous. How could you even ask that?"_ He mumbled uncertainly, loosening his hold on her upper arms. Juvia looked at him with so much anger that he anticipated to be slapped any second now, that is until she deflated.

Juvia turned away from him, sighing deeply. Her fingers rubbed at her temples as she began to speak. " _This is not healthy anymore Gray-sama. Juvia understands that you want to protect her."_ She turned around to face him, speaking sternly " **–** _but Gray-sama does not realize that he is making Juvia feel incapable. Weak. Juvia does not need Gray-sama risking his life every time Juvia is in danger. She can-I can protect myself."_

Juvia's voice had never been this loud with him before. She was always happy and calm around his presence. He was disoriented with the way she was speaking to him know. He had definitely reached the end of her patience.

" _Gray-sama fears that he might lose Juvia if he does not protect her. But he-you are losing me by not allowing me to stand by your side and be my own person."_ She emphasized her words by jabbing at his chest. She looked at him with disappointment before backing him away and leaving him alone to ponder on his thoughts.


	3. Forgiveness

_You mean forgiveness_

* * *

Out of all the people in Fairy Tail, Juvia was probably one of the most sinful. That wasn't something that people would say about her but in truth, she was in need immediate atonement. At least that's how she sees it. Sometimes, she cannot bear to look at herself in the mirror when she wakes up in the morning, or look upon her reflection in her water. All she sees is a sinner.

She has wronged, blamed, and hurt so many people in the past that Juvia felt unable to remember all of their names and faces. She is aware that her circumstances didn't allow her to become happy or positive, but that was no excuse to do the horrible things she had done. She didn't have to inflict the pain that she had felt towards the innocent.

Juvia found herself turning away from her reflection, frowning at the quick sight of her face. Padding quietly towards her tiny kitchen, Juvia allowed herself to relax upon smelling the familiar scent of warm tea. Fixing herself a cup, she went outside.

Juvia had always believed that she would have to pay for her sins one of these days. In what manner, she didn't really care, as long as she would be rid of the shame and the guilt. But that wasn't the way forgiveness worked and she knew that. It was something that she would have to earn.

When Gray caused her rain to cease, it was a catalyst for change in her. She had always thought that the rain was something the gods had cursed her with for being a bad child. It taunted her with every drop, as if washing away multitudes of sins and darkness. Now that she doesn't have it to erase her wrongs, her guilt increases tenfold. She knows now that her rain was both her curse and her blessing.

Closing her eyes, Juvia tries to regain the semblance of peace that she had a while ago. Losing to the visions of Phantom Lord and to the thought of Silver's death, she clutches at her chest.

Later on when she enters the guild, the sight of her friends makes her feel unworthy of any form of attention yet she knows she craves it like oxygen. She wills herself to approach them and make herself comfortable beside the man who always has a reserved seat waiting for her. She doesn't look at him.

Everyone greets her cheerfully before returning to their previous discussions and she smiles. This is how she envisions living her life, atoning for everything that she has done by being with these people and being of service to them. Every day, they peel of a layer of her darkness with every single glance and word of acceptance. They know how she is suffering. They know because they feel the same.

Gray keeps silent beside her, and she is aware that he knows she is beating herself up again. She thanks him silently for not verbalizing it. This is the way between them sinners. She forgives him with her undying love and he forgives her with his acceptance and protection. The things that they receive from one another are the things they need most.

Juvia is not surprised to feel his cold hand taking hers underneath the table. She interlaces their fingers and smiles gratefully at him. He smirks in response and they return their gazes back to their friends.

They don't need to talk about it. They don't even need to admit it to each other. In times of distress and in their episodes of depression, Gray simply needs to hold her in any way just like he always does, and Juvia is forgiven. And in turn, Juvia simply needs to burrow herself further into his heart and smile at him like he is her salvation, for Gray to know that she forgives him as well.

He takes the time to bring her home, after an uneventful day. Their hands are no longer clasped but the warmth remains on their palms and fingers. They walk leisurely beside each other, not too close and not too far. The calm that settles between them is one that they have worked on for years, mastering it with every walk that they took together. Juvia could only describe it as solace.

Juvia feels the dread of returning back to solitude but she knows it will be a little bit easier this time. With her friends' knowing glances and Gray's quiet support, her heart feels a little lighter. Upon reaching her quaint home, she doesn't hesitate in giving Gray a gentle kiss on the cheek. She descends to her feet and offers him another one of her grateful smiles.

" _Thank you Gray-sama"_ She whispers quietly. They both know what she is grateful for. He gets over the initial splutter and embarrassment he feels quickly and pinches her cheek before caressing the sore spot fondly. Juvia pouts at him and he laughs.

" _Any time Juvia"_ He says, smirking at her again before turning away.


	4. Nothing

_You mean Nothing_

In all the years that Gray has known her, he had never let himself get too close. They were friends, fellow guild members, and companions, nothing more and nothing less. There were times when it almost felt like they were beginning to progress but upon realizing this, Gray would immediately reign himself in. He is aware of her affections, but in his mind, he simply shrugs it off as infatuation. He catches all her loving and shy glances but he ignores them to the best of his abilities. He knows how she does special things for him, but he plays them off as unnecessary.

He also knows how hard he tries to deny himself.

Gray was a firm believer in karma. He also believed in the random repetition of occurrences that have plagued him through all the years of his existence. If it happened in the past, he knows it can happen again. Everyone knows how tragic his earlier years were. They know of his self-inflicted guilt and his connotations of him being the cause of all his misfortunes. How can he not be? How do all the important people in his life just die around him?

Gray had already deduced that in all those times, he was the common factor.

As a result, it had become an _instinct_ for him to maintain a distance from everyone. That included Juvia.

Most of all Juvia.

With every loving gift she offer him and with every word of encouragement and adoration she throws his way, Gray finds himself in a dilemma. He can feel himself slipping into that familiar and pleasant feeling of being needed, if only he can let go of the warnings blaring in his head, telling him that this was dangerous territory. Indeed it was dangerous for Gray to ever let Juvia mean something to him. He can handle being her friend, sometimes even her protector. But that was all he could manage.

At least that's what he lets himself believe.

It would be in both their best interests to remain friends. Feelings were something Gray knows would only complicate matters. If by some miracle, she does stay with him, Gray was sure that one of these days she would also leave him, in ways that he could not even fathom nor bare to think. This was for the best.

So when he feels her small hand slowly creep into his, he shuts himself off again. He suppresses the shudder that threatens to flow through his body. He denies the warmth that her palm offers by purposely keeping his temperature cold. Gray gives her one thing though, and that is his compliance.

She may touch him however she likes, but she knows better than to expect him to reciprocate it. The best he can do for her is simply allow her advances. He may grumble or complain in the beginning, but they both know that he would never deprive her of anything, least of all his physical body.

This is something they both acknowledge, something they do not need to verbalize.

Gray does not understand why Juvia still stays by his side. He does not get why she seeks to touch someone who does not touch her in the same way. What he does know is that Juvia is extremely patient with him, always letting him sift through the motions. With that observation, Gray concludes one thing.

She plans to wear him out. Until he succumbs. Until he can take it no longer.

Gray scoffs at the idea, but deep inside him, panic swells at the admittance that it _could_ happen. Squaring his shoulders, Gray disciplines himself. If Juvia wanted him, she would have to wait it out for a very very long time. If she was extremely patient, then he would be excessively stubborn.

As if listening in to his thoughts, Juvia beams up at him, her face flushed and her eyes clear. Once again Gray tells himself that she is insignificant. He looks at her passively and denies the ache in his chest at the plain love written all over her face. He tells himself that he does not need it. He tells himself that he is not losing. He tells himself that she is nothing to him.

Over and over he recites the words.

Hoping that by repeating them in his head, his heart would get the idea and stop racing so fast.

* * *

Hi guys! Thank you very much for reading this. :)

I am now open to any suggestions or ideas that you guys might have for the next stories. A simple word will do.


	5. Hope

_You mean Hope_

* * *

Gray never had much faith or hope to begin with. No one had taught him properly how it was to believe in something greater. He does not understand the way other people submit themselves to a singular belief. He even finds himself annoyed at how fervently they pray to their intangible gods. He does not believe their words reach heavenly ears.

The cross he wears is not even a symbol of religion. He keeps it because it is his only memory of someone he had lost.

Gray lets the pendant fall back onto his chest. He sighs as he walks away from the cathedral, trying not to concentrate on the deep knells of the church bells.

He never had much faith, but at the moment, Gray finds himself wishing he had a god.

They had lost a whole team yesterday. The deceased Fairy Tail members weren't strangers to Gray, but he was never close to them. He had conversed with them in the past, even going to a few missions when his own team was inactive.

Upon news of their demise, the whole guild suffered. Everyone mourned in their own ways, most of them turning to their magic to expel some grief. Others had gods to turn too. Gray didn't know them but even he took the loss greatly.

After doing everything he could to mourn, Gray moved on to the next phase of losing someone.

Gray's problem was rooted not on his ability to feel grief or to express it, it was in looking forward after death. His friends who had their religion quickly found a way to be positive. They saw hope for the people that they had lost in whatever heaven they believed in, and they retained faith that they could continue living.

He had lost many people, that was true. But he had never properly allowed himself to move on properly. He had a hard time imagining life without all the loved ones he had lost throughout the years.

Gray wallowed in his melancholy under the rain, knowing who had conjured the downpour.

If it was hope he was looking for, Gray might as well try to look for it in a place where he knew it was always present.

Spotting his girl under a tree, he approached her. Juvia's face was dry, probably letting the rain fall in lieu of her tears. She angled her head in his direction, telling him that she knew he was there. They didn't need to speak to understand what the other needed.

Gray removed his hands from his pockets and embraced her from behind silently and without hesitation. Her back was pressed tightly to his front and his arms formed bands of steel around her. Gray nestled his face into her hair, breathing deeply.

Juvia responded to him and leaned against his body, touching his hands with her own. They rocked gently, back and forth. She had left the cathedral before him, opting to leave before she caused it to rain inside the building. The wake had finished soon after.

" _Is Gray-sama okay?"_ Juvia whispered softly, her words ghosting over his cheek.

Gray almost told her yes before sighing deeply, opting to shake his head instead. He clutched her tighter, removing any personal space between them. Juvia turned in his arms to settle herself more comfortably against his chest, looping her arms around his neck and resting her head on his chest. She liked to listen to his heartbeat, she had told him once.

" _Do you believe in a god, Juvia?"_ He asked her after a moment, holding her by the waist. When he felt her head shake he asked his next question. " _Then why is it easy for you to move forward. Why the hell do you have so much hope?"_

He felt a little irritated when she chuckled against him, thinking that she was not taking him seriously. Juvia raised her head before he could speak, smiling at him patiently. She brought herself on tiptoes to be closer to his face, caressing his lips with her own.

" _Sometimes Gray-sama is very silly"_ She whispered sweetly to him. " _One does not need gods to have hope. Even believing in oneself or in another person is enough to look forward to better things."_ She gave him a short kiss, going back down to her soles.

" _Juvia has so much hope because she believes in Fairy Tail. She believes in her friends and most especially in Gray-sama. And that gives her hope"_

He pondered on her words, awed that he had such an impact in her life. His chest swelled with emotions upon knowing how much she believed in him, relying on him to get her through. Gray would always mourn for the friends he lost, but he was sure that he would not be able to move one if he ever lost Juvia. Leaning down towards her, Gray wordlessly thanked her for her advice with a deep kiss.

If she drew so much hope from him, maybe she could be his hope too.

He may not have any god to believe in, but he sure as hell had a goddess to call his own.

* * *

Suggestions?


	6. Corruption

_You mean Corruption_

* * *

As she falls before his eyes, something dark stirs within him.

He takes time to watch her battered body shudder for breath. He sees the blood that she coughs out. Gray watches her shaking hands grip the large wound on her abdomen, sees the way she tries to muffle her screams of pain. He narrows his eyes when he sees Juvia attempt to stand. That would not be the best idea. He removes his eyes away from her, knowing that he had seen enough. The sight is enough to change him.

Gray does not scream nor curse. He does not rush to her side or stand in front of her. That would mean weakness on his part. He wouldn't hesitate to do any of those things if he were the younger version of himself. But now that they had fought too many fights, partnered in so many battles, Gray knew better. Their opponent would surely use her to stop him.

Gray marches forward, striding past Juvia's prone form. He knows her eyes are trained on him, guilty and fresh with tears. She knows what he is about to do. Juvia has seen him do it countless times for her sake. He does not look back.

In fact, he wants her to pass out. He does not want her to see him like this.

If Gray could not save her, then he would undoubtedly do everything in his power to avenge her. Thus, he lets himself fall into a trance. He lets his body harden with resolve and his mind sharpen to one single goal. He embraces the darkness creeping in his heart.

It is something ugly and corrupt. It is violent and bloodthirsty. He acknowledges how sick it makes him feel, but he lets it out nonetheless. He cannot ignore the sudden burst of anger-no not anger- _wrath_ that just wrecks his self-control and brings havoc to his senses.

Gray focuses on the enemy like a man obsessed. Even if his body is worn out and his mind is muddled with thoughts of vengeance, there is always that sudden rush of adrenaline. A burst of energy. A source of strength.

It makes him forget the mission. It makes him forget that he is not meant to kill. It makes him blind to how the very woman he is trying to avenge, looks at him with sorrow and fear. Gray knows that she does not fear him, instead she fears _for_ him.

But it does not matter to him at the moment. He does not want this power. He knows it is unclean. He knows it is strength borrowed from the devil himself.

 _But it is strength nonetheless. And it is what I need now._

He eyes the gruesome face of the woman who had hurt his partner, burning her with coal eyes. He does not even try to make threats or voice what he is about to do. The way he prowls and the way he stares are enough to tell the enemy that he is out for blood. He takes step after step towards the wary girl, knowing that she will be no more when he reaches her. He hears Juvia crying out to him, pleading with him to let it go.

She does not understand.

Gray knows the exact moment his eyes change by the way the woman in front of him gasps and starts to retreat. He can feel the darkness emerge from his skin, the corruption covering his paleness. He welcomes the whisper of evil that always comes with it, listens to the prayers it chants in his ear.

He thanks the entity for giving him strength.

Thanks it for enabling him to avenge the woman who matters.

* * *

Suggestions?


	7. Beauty

_You mean Beauty_

Gray woke up to darkness, a curtain of tangled hair covering his face. He raised himself a little and sputtered at the strands that got into his mouth. He found himself weighted down by the still figure resting comfortably on him. He moved the last of the strands away from his face and looked down to stare at the woman who had made his body her pillow.

Juvia slept on as he studied her. He sniggered at the soft snores she made once in a while, moving the soft tangles of hair out of her sleeping face to see her better. Her cheek was pressed against his right pectoral, slightly flustered from the warmth that they shared between their naked forms. Her hand was situated on the other side of his chest, palms down as if to feel his steady heartbeat. Juvia was sentimental that way, even in her sleep.

Gray smirked at the thought. She wasn't the most attractive tonight but he found her slumbering self relaxing him a little. He brought a hand from her waist to caress the splatter of freckles on her bare shoulder, poking her skin. His fingers then tangled within her blue hair, smoothing out the tangles that had formed. In the morning, Gray knew that Juvia would labor over her tresses, making sure that they were soft and free of any obstructions. He bowed his head further to smell the strands wrapped around his hand, smirking when he smelt his shampoo. He moved his touch to the nape of her neck, moving her hair aside. He pressed lightly unto the flesh and at the column of bones, making sure to keep the pressure light but firm. Juvia reacted to his ministrations and grumbled in delight.

Her cold nose scrunched a little and she moved herself to lie higher up against him. She situated herself at the crook of his neck, her warm breath washing over his skin. She made an annoyed huff when he stopped moving his fingers, her long eyelashes fluttering against his skin. Gray took a deep breath, fighting off the pleasure that he felt creeping at the awareness of her warm body pressed tightly against his. When she had moved, she had unintentionally brushed parts of her against him that made it hard for Gray to stay still.

Once he was sure that she was still sleeping peacefully, Gray sighed in relief. He raised the crumpled blanket over her bare back to rest near her shoulders. He willed himself not to think about how graceful the lines and curves of her body was, how utterly seductive Juvia appeared to him even when she was nervously trying to gaze away from his hungry eyes hours ago. He tried not to imagine how pale her skin had looked bathed in moonlight and sweat as he moved over her, rocking into her repeatedly. Gray cursed at his counter-acting thoughts.

He smoothed his palms over the plane of her back, holding her close to him. He knew that Juvia was often embarrassed of her back when they made love. She had most of her scars situated on that area and they had made quite the contrast to her otherwise flawless skin. Some of them stretched and spanned the length of her torso, others were tiny and jagged.

Even with her powers, Juvia could not avoid amassing such wounds. Gray didn't know why she was so worried about them. His scars were twice as many and they were much worse, disfiguring the skin that surrounded them. She had not minded them so why was she so conscious of hers around him.

" _It's different for a woman, Gray-sama"_ She had reasoned to him earlier on when he had started kissing the marks and she had wiggled away, saying that she was uncomfortable. They had discussed it for a bit before Gray let it go, not wanting to get her upset when they were about to get together. He didn't want to ruin the mood.

Now that she slept soundly, he allowed himself to map her marks. He started with the biggest one, extending from the tip of her shoulder blade down to her thigh. He gently stroked the scar, kissing the side of her face at the same time. He moved on to the other ones, giving her a kiss for every one he touched.

Gray wanted to tell her that they were beautiful, that SHE was beautiful. He wanted her to listen to his words and believe them. He may not understand her now but he hoped that with time, she would allow herself to love her body as much as he did.

He didn't care that she thought her breasts were too big or her hips too wide. Gray liked what he saw and no matter how self-conscious she was about her body, the fact that the sight of it made fire run through him and desire lance through his body would never change.

Once he was finished, Gray reached as far as he could, touching her legs. He had always loved her lower extremities. He could feel the toned muscles beneath her supple skin, liking the way her legs weren't too skinny. Gray dragged his hands up the back of her thighs and onto her buttocks, smirking as he lightly slapped her ass. He heard her giggle and exhale against his neck before resuming her heavy breathing.

Feeling the lingers of sleep, Gray re-wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing her more firmly against him. Gray wanted this. He wanted a real woman, curves and scars an all. He wanted Juvia like no other and he knew that she needed him in the same way. Before he could succumb to slumber, Gray decided that he would tell her again tomorrow and the day after that and again and again until she would come to believe him. Juvia would be stubborn he knew, but at the same time he could show her with his body and how perfectly they fit.

Juvia was really silly, Gray thought.

 _You're beautiful and I'm gonna say it to you until you're sick of it._

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You are beautiful. :)

I will be working on a suggestion for the next chapter. Thank you for those who gave me some of their ideas. I appreciate it.


	8. Everything

_You mean Everything_

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Juvia swears that all she needs is her husband. She would survive natural disasters, calamities, plagues and even war if he was by her side. She would undoubtedly get herself in trouble but in the end Juvia would survive, simply because Gray would never let anything happen to her. He would stop battles just to find her and make sure she was okay.

Who would have thought that Gray Fullbuster would become a doting husband? Juvia knew that Gray had the habit of exaggerating certain things like his protectiveness of her or his paranoia that he was a magnet for death and destruction. She never expected that marriage would double that side of him.

Gray was now more protective, more paranoid, and more caring than ever.

She wasn't exactly complaining. Just the thought of all the little and big things he goes through for her everyday makes Juvia smile. She's sure he doesn't even notice.

She never lacked anything. If Juvia wanted to cuddle on the couch the whole afternoon and watch rom-coms, Gray would grumble but embrace her nonetheless. If she had the urge to stitch him random articles of clothing, he would reluctantly stand still as she took his measurements. If she wanted white sauce on her pasta and not just regular tomato sauce, he would make a side trip towards the market just to buy her said sauce before going home.

That was just the way Gray was.

Although it wasn't just him, if Gray meant everything to her then she wanted to be everything to him as well. She would strive to be the best wife she could be for him. And that was what she was trying to do at the moment.

Juvia lugged around the heavy toolkit, heading towards the leaking faucet in their bathroom. Gray said he would fix it but the man in question was currently napping away on their couch, exhausted from a mission. After she had fondly lulled him to sleep and made sure he was out cold did Juvia set off to work.

She wanted to let him rest and not worry about anything. It wasn't exactly her biggest concern that she knew nothing of plumbing or fixing anything related to faucets or pipes for that matter. How hard could it be?

Apparently, it was very complicated. At least for Juvia.

Three hours after she had began, Juvia finally managed to fix the leak and put her tools away. She wiped at the beads of sweat that formed on her forehead, patting herself for a job well done. She sighed in relief, knowing that she had at least eased her husband's burden.

Juvia took one last look at the faucet, nodding in satisfaction before standing up and gathering her tools. She quietly stored them away before heading to the kitchen to prepare for dinner. Her shoulders and arms ached but Juvia shrugged the pain away, happy that she had exerted effort. She didn't notice the lazy grumblings that headed her way.

Juvia had just finished washing some vegetables when she squeaked, surprised by the cold hands that made their way inside her shirt and around her. Gray hugged her from behind, his cool fingers spanning her abdomen. His head lolled to her shoulder, a muffled groan making its way to her ears. Juvia placed the greens in a clear bowl before she faced her husband, careful not to bring her wet hands anywhere near him.

" _Good afternoon, Gray-sama. How was your nap?"_ She beamed up at him, excited to tell him about how she fixed the faucet by herself.

He didn't answer her and instead laid his forehead on hers, sighing deeply. " _M' still beat"_ he grumbled.

Juvia raised herself on tiptoes and brushed her nose against his, smiling when he leaned forward trying to catch her lips. Her husband still looked half-awake. " _Maybe Gray-sama should go back to bed. Juvia will wake you when the food's ready"_ Juvia whispered to him.

"' _Kay"_ He mumbled again. Finally catching her lips, he kissed her deeply, almost feverishly. Gray bent Juvia backwards, moving his head to the side for a better angle as he slipped his tongue into her mouth. Juvia eagerly kissed her husband, forgetting about her wet hands as she slipped them around his neck.

Gray was the first to break away. " _I missed you"_ He whispered against her lips. Gray's cold hands caressed her belly, moving to her back. Juvia replied hazily as she lost herself to his comforting touch, leaning further into his embrace. Gray's mouth was right beside her ear, whispering more words to her that Juvia tried to comprehend.

" _Thanks for doing something 'bout that dang faucet. Really saved me a few hours of sleep"_ He slurred into her ear, stroking her spine. Juvia blushed at his words, moving backwards a little and bringing her hands to her red face.

" _How did Gray-sama know?"_ She asked, tilting her head to the side.

He chuckled lowly. " _You weren't exactly quiet Juvia. I heard you curse like a sailor probably about three times"_ He laughed harder when her blush intensified. Juvia covered her face completely, ready to apologize. Gray simply kissed her digits one by one until she lowered her hands.

" _No, really. I appreciate it, love"_ He said seriously, gazing into her eyes. Juvia composed herself, allowing a small smile to grace her lips.

" _You're welcome Gray-sama"_ She hugged him tightly, stroking his unruly hair and burying her face against his neck. " _Juvia just wants Gray-sama to know that she is so thankful and that he means everything to her"_

Gray silently agreed with her, repeating her words back to his wife and holding her closer.

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Suggestions?

(Warning: long author's note/rant ahead)

This fic has honestly been easier to write for me. I feel like I can take my time with it unlike with my other unfinished stories (Chasing Shadows and His Queen). Right now, I am very confused as to how I should finish them. It's like I have this idea and vision of how I should end the story but when I think about it again, I end up scrapping the whole thing. I don't know. I guess I set up so many resolutions in my head that I can't choose between any of them. Although, I want my readers to know that I will most definitely finish them. Eventually.

So if you're one of those readers, I sincerely apologize that I have not been updating as much as I would like too. I would also thank you guys so much for the support and lovely reviews that you leave me.

Wish you guys nothing but the best. :)


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